d never fade--but there was
the boy, a growing delight to his father, so why complain? Better
this easy-going life than one of domestic contention.

Then on a sudden the boy fell ill. The doctor came--shook his head
gravely.

"You must take him to the sea-shore," he said. "It is his only
chance."

And to the sea-shore they went, leaving the house in charge of the
treasures.

"I have confidence in you," said Thaddeus to Jane and Ellen on the
morning of the departure, "so I have decided to leave the house open
in your care. Mrs. Perkins wants you to keep it as you would if she
were here. Whatever you need to make yourselves comfortable, you
may get. Good-bye."

"What a comfort it is," said Bessie, when they had reached the sea-
shore, and were indulging in their first bit of that woful luxury,
homesickness--"what a comfort it is to feel that the girls are there
to look after things! An empty house is such a temptation to
thieves."

"Yes," said Thaddeus. "I hope they won't entertain too much,
though."

"Ellen and Jane are too old for that sort of thing," Bessie
answered.

"How about Norah?"

"Oh, I forgot to tell you. There was nothing really for Norah to
do, so I told her she could go off and stay with her mother on
board-wages."

"Good!" said Thaddeus, with a pleased smile. "It isn't a bad idea
to save, particularly when you are staying at the sea-shore."

In this contented frame of mind they lived for several weeks. The
boy grew stronger every day, and finally Thaddeus felt that the
child was well enough to warrant his running back home for a night,
"just to see how things were going." That the girls were faithful,
of course, he did not doubt; the regularity with which letters
addressed to him at home--and they were numerous--reached him
convinced him of that; but the hamper containing the week's wash,
which Ellen and Jane were to send, and which had been expected on
Thursday of the preceding week, had failed for once to arrive; the
boy had worn one dress four days, Thaddeus's collars were getting
low, and altogether he was just a little uneasy about things. So he
availed himself of his opportunity and went home, taking with him a
friend, in consideration of whom he telegraphed ahead to Ellen to
prepare a good breakfast, not caring for dinner, since he and his
companion expected to dine at the club and go to the theatre before
going out to his home.

The result would have been fatal to B